Contact Hamilton is here for you during the COVID-19 pandemic. While our offices are closed, we are available by telephone and ready to help.

• For Passport enquiries, please call 1-866-288-9659 or email passport@contacthamilton.ca
• For DSO HNR enquiries, please call 1-877-376-4674 or email info@dsohnr.ca
• For Children and Youth Services enquiries, please call 905-570-8888 or email info@contacthamilton.ca

Because we are working remotely, calls from us will appear as "private caller".

Please check our website frequently for the most up-to-date information regarding our services.

For information about COVID-19, including symptoms, transmission, treatment and what to do if you think you may be ill, please visit:

• Government of Canada
• Government of Ontario
• Public Health Ontario

You can also visit local public health agencies in your city/county/region:

• City of Hamilton, Public Health 
• Region of Niagara Public Health 
• Brant County Health Unit 
• Haldimand Norfolk Health and Social Services  

It can be challenging to know what to do during uncertain times. We have found some good resources to help explain, understand and cope with COVID-19. You are very welcome to use these resources. We will do our best to keep these resources updated as we have information.

People with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families

Time Limited Wellness/Day Supports for People with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families

The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services is making available time limited, free virtual mental health/wellness and day activities for January, February and March 2022. Please click on the links below to view the various offerings. There are sessions/programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities, and sessions/programs for caregivers. Some programs have limits on the number that can be supported.

• Belt it Out and Boogie
• CARES Caregiver Support Series
• Emotion and Body Wellness
• Mindful Me
• Mindful Wellness for Caregivers
• PEERS® Social Skills Boot Camp
• Saturday Social
• Social Wellness and Safety
• Tips for Supporting Mental Health
• Virtual Health Promotion Group
• Show Strength, Seek Help (Counselling)
• Resiliency Resources Drop In
• Mindful Mike - 1 on 1
• Learn What Works for You
• Wellness Program
• Wellnest

• CAMH: Mental Health and COVID-19 - Talking to a loved one
  
  
• Health Care Access Research Developmental Disabilities (HCARDD)- A wide variety of information about COVID-19, things to do, how to take care of your mental health developed by HCARDD
  
  
• COVID-19 Disability Resources through Inclusion Canada
  
  
• Tune in Tuesdays: Mindfulness for autistic adults and adults with other developmental disabilities during COVID-19
  
  
• Social Story and comprehension questions about COVID-19 (developed by Speechy Musings):
  • Level 1 -  answer bank  
  • Level 2 - freestyle
  • Social Story
    
    
•  The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services has created a series of posters that can be used to help explain COVID-19 and how to stay safe.
  • What is Coronavirus
  • How to Stay Safe: Handwashing
  • How to Stay Safe: Physical Distancing
  • If You Get Sick
  • Stay In, Stay Well
  • Acknowledgements
    
    
• Autistics for Autistics Ontario: COVID-19 Resources for Autistic People
  
  
• Partners for Planning - Staying Connected during COVID-19
  
  
• Community Living Ontario - Staying Connected
  
  
• Connectability - COVID-19 Resources
  
  
• Partners for Planning: Supports and Information about COVID-19
  
  
• MCCSS: Temporary Changes to Eligible Passport Expenses
  
  
• MCCSS: Temporary Changes to Eligible SSAH Expenses
  
  
• Canadian Abilities Foundation: Back to Work During COVID-19
•  

Children, Youth and their Families

• City of Hamilton – Public Health: Information about infant, child and youth mental health during COVID-19. 
  
  
• Kids Help Phone: Children and youth 18 and younger who need to talk to someone about their mental health can call 1-800-668-6868, for 24/7 phone and text support.
  • Mindfulness Tips
    
    
• Good2Talk: A phone and texting service that offers confidential support to post-secondary students. Call 1-866-925-5454.
  
  
• YourSpace Hamilton
  
  
• Child and Adolescent Services Virtual Walk In Clinic
  
  
• Mind Your Mind
  
  
• Mind Your Mind: Staying on Top of Your Game During A Pandemic
  
  
• My Anxiety Plan (MAP) for Children and Teens (Anxiety Canada)
  
  
• School Mental Health Ontario
  
  
• COVID-19: Guidance for School Reopening (SickKids)
  
  
• Back to School During COVID-19: Tips for Parents and Caregivers 
  
  
• School Mental Health Ontario:
  • Resources for Educators, Parents and Students Related to COVID-19, 12 Easy and Fun Mental Health Practices To Try With Your Children At Home
  • Self-Care Tips for Youth
    
    
• COVID-19 Youth Mental Health Resource Hub - Jack.org, School Mental Health Ontario and Kids Help Phone have partnered to bring you all the information needed in one easy-to-access hub so that youth mental health remains top of mind, and our communities are able to easily access the education, tools, support and reliable information they need.
  
  
• First Peoples Wellness Circle: Mental Wellness Resources for Parents and Children
  
  
• List of resources, and ideas for families (curated by Contact Hamilton)
  
  
• Children's Mental Health Ontario (CMHO)
  • Talking to Your Anxious Child
  • Supporting Your Family's Mental Wellness
  • Supporting Children and Youth through COVID: Resources compiled by Children’s Mental Health Ontario
  • Back to School Tool Kit
    
    
• Triple P Parenting - Top Parenting Tips for Parents and Carers in Uncertain Times
  
  
• Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health: Supporting a discussion with children and youth
  
  
• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health: How Do I Talk To My Children About COVID-19 and Its Impact?
  
  
• Psychology Today: How to Explain a Global Health Crisis to Children with Autism
  
  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019 - Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children
  
  
• Parenting During COVID-19: tips for supporting and engaging with your children as well as self-care tips for parents and caregivers.
  
  
• Coping With COVID-19: guide to help children cope through self-regulation
  
  
•  Partners for Planning: COVID-19 Critical FAQs
  
  
• Ontario College of Teachers has developed a list of online resources for 5 categories: curriculum-based learning; mental health and well-being; arts and culture; games and activities; and physical fitness.
  
  
• McMaster Children's Hospital: Back-To-School Resources
  
  
• MCCSS: Temporary Changes to Eligible SSAH Expenses
• 
  
• Canadian Abilities Foundation: Back to Work During COVID-19
  
  
• City of Hamilton
  • At Home Recreation Activities
  • Taking Care of Your Mental Health

General Resources

• BounceBack: A free, evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program that offers guided mental health self-help supports for adults and youth 15+ using workbooks, online videos and phone coaching. Call 1-866-345-0224.
  
  
• BEACON: BEACON is digital therapy that’s there for you wherever and whenever you want it. With it, you’ll be guided by a registered mental health professional, and it’s now available at no cost to you and your family members (age 16 years and older).
  
  
• Stronger Minds: Stronger Minds by BEACON is a free digital program for all Canadians – to support your mental well-being through the COVID-19 crisis.
  
  
• CAMH: Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic 
  
  
• How to manage mental health, developed by CAMH (Canadian Mental Health Association)
  
  
• My Anxiety Plan (MAP) for Adults: My Anxiety Plan (MAP) is an anxiety management program based on cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).
  
  
• MindShift CBT: MindShifT CBT uses scientifically proven strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and use active steps to take charge of your anxiety.
  
  
• Calm: Meditating App
  
  
• ConnexOntario: Adults and frontline workers who are dealing with the realities of COVID-19 can call ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600 for mental health, addictions and problem gambling support.
  
  
• 211 Ontario: For information and referrals for community, government, social and health services, including mental health resources across Ontario, call 211 or 1-877-330-3213. Live web chat is also available.
  
  
• Hamilton Quick Guide to Services: Hamilton is full of resources and the purpose of this booklet is to organize them so service providers can better serve the community. The book is supplementary to Hamilton Public Library’s Redbook and hnhbhealthline.ca.
  
  
• Hope for Wellness Helpline: Indigenous peoples can call 1-855-242-3310 for immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention across Canada (available in some Indigenous languages). Live web chat is also available.
  
  
• Talk 4 Healing: Indigenous women can get help, support and resources seven days a week, 24 hours a day, with services in 14 languages by calling or texting 1-855-554-4325. Live web chat is also available.
  
  
• First Peoples Wellness Circle: COVID-19 Wellness Strategies
  • Health Professionals
  • Elders and Seniors
  • Community
    
    
• Thunderbird Partnership Foundation: Hope during COVID-19
  
  
• Partners for Planning: Self-Care During COVID-19

If you have a crisis situation and require help immediately, please consider:

• Calling 911
• For mental health crisis / urgent situations, calling your local mobile crisis service:
  • For Hamilton: COAST Hamilton, 905-972-8338
  • For Niagara: COAST Niagara­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­, 1 -866-550-5205.
  • For Brant: St. Leonard’s Community Services, 519-759-7188 or 1-866-811-7188
  • For Haldimand and Norfolk: CAST, 1-866-487-2278
• Calling your health care provider